Machine for separating and feeding blanks



June 19, 1934. w w, vmso 1,963,694

MACHINE FOR SEPARATING AND FEEDING BLANKS Filed June 18, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jam WWwz June 19, 1934. w. w. DAVIDSON MACHINE FOR SEPARATING AND FEEDING BLANKS Y Filed June 1 1931 s Sheets-Sheet 2 v ju /2207'; Zia Illa IVa'r Malia 502a June 19, 1934.

W. W. DAVIDSON MACHINE FOR SEPARATING AND FEEDING BLANK S Filed June 18, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented June 19, 1934 Pu r i a, sis-raw u L- MACHINE FOR SEPARATING Y-LFEEDING BLANKS HEB 4. iii-i? I This invention relates to machines for separat-' ing and feeding blanks of the general type comprising a vertically movable pack carriage, blank separating means adapted for withdrawing blanks 5 from the top of a pack supported on said carriage, means for raising and lowering said pack carriage including power means for raising the same, and means for rendering said power raising means inactivewhen the top of the pack attains a predetermined level relative to the blank separating means.

As shown, the pack carriage raising and lowering mechanism of the present application is substantially a reproduction in detail ,of the means fully shown in United States Letters Patent No.

1,613,984, dated January 11, 1927.

The machine of said prior Patent No'. 1,613,984, however, comprises a vertically movable separator unit, and in accordance with the disclosure of said patent, the means for rendering the power means for raising said pack carriage inactive, is controlled directly by vertical movement of said separator unit.

Th -machine of the present application, however, has no part or elementcorresponding to the vertically movable separator unit ofsaid prior patent, and the object of the present invention is to provide means for rendering the power raising means inactive when the top of the pack attains a predetermined level, controlled by movement of a vertically movable member, which forms no part of the blankseparating means, such movement being produced by contact of said member with the top of the pack when approaching the designed upper limit of its movement,

during which said vertically movable member rides upon the top of the pack, preferably in close proximity to the point where the blank separating means engages the blanksraising therewith as the pack carriage is raised by means provided for the purposeeither power or manual-and falling as the lever of the pack is lowered-either suddenly by the manually operated means, or

gradually as blanks are fed from the top of the pack inoperati-on.

To eifect the objects of the invention, the means foi rendering the power means for raising the pack carriage inactive, comprises the various features, combinations of features and details of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which the invention is fully illustrated;

I Fig. 1 is a fragmentary elevation of the right side of a blank separating machine embodying William Ward Davidson, Evanston, n1. Application June 18, 1931, Serial 8 Claims. (01. 2715-62 my invention 'and improvements, as viewed from the left sidelbf said figure.

Fig. 2 is erg-fragmentary view, partly in section, from the position indicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. '1, on which, also, the section is taken.

Fig. 3 is afragmentary perspective .view.

Fig. 4 is afragmentary, sectional elevation of the machinesubstantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and,

Fig. 5 is a 'fragmentary top plan view substantially from the position 5--5 of Fig. 4.

As regards'the means for separating the blanks from a pack of blanks supported on the carriage, the machine shown in the drawings is a usual type oi suction feeder, of which there are several difieient makes which maybe purchased commercially, and which will be readily understood by persons familiar with such feeders from an examination of the drawings, without a description thereof in detail.

Accordingly, as the invention of the present application'relates only to the means for actuat- 'ing and controlling movement of the pack carriage, parts and features of the machine not germane to the present invention, have been, for the most'part, entirely omitted or, if shown at all, are shown diagrammatically, thus avoiding confusion and unnecessary description and rendering the description of the invention covered by the. application clear and definite; 35

Describing my invention with particular ref- 1 erence to the drawings, a designates one of the side frames of the machine.

Thepackpf blanks to be separated and fed, designated B, and the top of which is indicated by the line b, Fig. 1, is supported upon a carriage, designated as a whole C, comprising side frame members. one of which is shown at c Fig. 4, and which are rigidly connected by transverse rods 1, 2 and 3, and brackets 4 supported on the rods 1 and 3 so as to be adjustable towards and from each other, and which are adapted to be secured in adjusted positions on said rods by set screws threaded through bosses on said brackets in line with the supporting rod 1.

The pack of blanks B'rests directly upon a board 5. which is preferably removable. and

which, in use, is supported on arms;6 forming parts of the brackets 4, the plane of the top sides of said bracket arms and the board 5 being substantially horizontal, whereby the pack of blanks will be supported flatwise and in substantially horizontal position.

The pack carriage C is bodily movable vertically, being confined and guided in its vertical movement by engagement of rigid parts thereof with guide bearings on the side frame members a. In the preferable construction shown, see Fig. 4, vertically spaced roller studs 7 project from the outer sides of the pack carriage C and engage guide grooves 8 formed in the adjacent sides of said frame member-3 a.

The pack carriage C is supported by means of chain belts 9 connected thereto and which pass over sprocket wheels 10 secured to a shaft 11 rotatably mounted in bearings in the side frame members a. The free ends of said chain belts hang free and weights 12 are preferably suspended therefrom, adapted to prevent jumping of said chain belts, which would cause disengagement thereof from the teeth of the sprocket wheels 10.

The pack carriage C is adapted to be raised both manually and by power, but can be lowered manually only.

As shown, see particularly Fig. l, the power means for raising said pack supporting carriage is as followsz-Rotatably mounted in bearings in the frame members a of the machine is a shaft 13 to which oscillating movement is imparted in operation by a lever arm 14 secured thereto, said lever arm being connected by a rod 15 with a driven part of the machine'to which said blank separating and feeding machine is applied in use. Also, to provide forstopping the separating and feeding mechanism without stopping the machine to which it is applied, said lever arm 14 preferably is mounted on the rock shaft 13 so as to turn thereon and is adapted to be secured thereto and disconnected therefrom by means of a suitable clutch. However, said clutch forms no part of my present invention and need not, therefore, be either shown or described herein.

The power means for driving the shaft 11 also comprises a ratchet gear, designated as a whole D, so constructed and arranged that oscillation of the shaft 13 will impart step-by-step rotation to said shaft 11 in a direction to raise the pack carriage C. As shown, said ratchet gear comprises a ratchet wheel 16 mounted to turn on the shaft 13, secured to rotate with which is a pinion 1'7 which meshes with a gear 18 secured to the shaft 11. Step-by-step rotation is adapted to be imparted to the ratchet wheel. 16 by an actuating pawl 19 pivoted to a stud 20 secured in the free end of aframe 21 pivoted to the shaft 13.

Said pawl 19 is maintained yieldingly in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 16 by a spring 22, opposite ends of which are connected to pins 23 and 24, secured in said pawl and in the pawl carrying frame 21, respectively.

As shown, the ratchet wheel 16 is prevented from turning backwards--which would lower the pack carriage C--by a retaining pawl 25 pivoted to a. stud 26 secured in the frame member a on which the ratchet gear D is mounted. The retaining pawl 25 is maintained yieldingly in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 16 by a spring 27, opposite ends of which are attached to pins 28 and 29 secured, respectively, in, the outer end of said retaining pawl and in the frame member a of the machine.

In the operation of the machine, the actuating pawl 19 is adapted to be advanced to impart step-by-step rotation to the ratchet wheel 16 by a tappet 31 formed on and which projects laterally from an arm 32 secured to the shaft 13 so as to turn or oscillate therewith, said tappet 31 being adapted to strike surfaces 33 formed on the pawlcarrying frame 21 to which the actuating pawl is pivoted. as said arm 32 oscillates with the shaft 13.

When free to respond thereto, the pawl carrying frame 2ltogether with the pawl 19 mounted thereonis adapted to be maintained yieldingly retracted by a spring applied-thereto and to be advanced at each feeding cycle by contact of the tappet 31 on the rock arm 32 with the surfaces 33 on said pawl-carrying frame, by means as follows:Pivoted to the frame member a at 34 is a lever d, one end of which is connected with said pawl-carrying frame by a rod 35. As shown, said rod is pivotally connected to both said lever and frame, the means for connecting said rod to the lever (1 preferably being constructed and arranged for adjusting the operative length of said rod. As shown, said rod 35 has a hook 36 on'its lower end fitted to turn in a bearing in the frame 21, and the upper end of said rod extends through a hole formed in a stud 37 pivotally mounted in a bearing on the lever d.

To provide for varying the operative length of said rod 35, its upper end is screw-threaded and nuts 38 and 39 are adjusted thereto on opposite sides of the stud 37, the sides of which against which said nuts bear being flattened, as shown. For convenience, the nut 38 is preferably a thumb nut.

As shown, the spring applied to the pawlcarrying frame 21 for maintaining said frame, and thus the pawl 19, yieldingly retracted, consists of a coil spring 40 which, for reasons presently apparent, is applied in the following manner:-Secured to a trunnion 41 rotatably mpunted in a bearing formed in a bracket 42 secured to a bar 43 supported in fixed position on the machine frame, is a lever arm 44 formed on the free end of which is a lateral projection 45 which is adapted to rest on the end of the arm of "the lever d remote from the stud 37 and pivoted to the frame member a of the machine adjacent the rock arm 32 is a ball-crank-lever e, comprising arms 46 and 47, the arm 46 thereof being con nected to the lever arm 44 by a link 48, and a roller 49 being rotatably mounted on the arm 47 thereof in position to project into the path of movement of a cam 50 secured to and which oscillates with'the rock arm 32. As shown, 0pposite ends of the spring 40 are attached to pins 51 and 52 secured, respectively, in the arm 46 of said bell-crank-lever and in the frame member a.

With the described construction, it is obvious that unless prevented, the tension of the spring 40, acting through its described connections, will tend to turn the lever d in a direction to retract the pawl carrying frame 21, whereby, upon advancement of the rock arm 32 from its retracted position shown in Fig. 1, the tappet 31 on said rock arm, by contact with the surfaces 33 on said pawl carrying frame will operate to advance said frame and, through engagement of the pawl 19 with the teeth of the ratchet wheel 16, will turn the shaft 13 in a direction to raise the pack carriage C.

In the operation of the machine, blanks supported upon the pack carriage C are adapted to be withdrawn from the top of the pack oneat a time, when the top of the pack is substantially at the level indicated by the line b, by means of suction feet, one of which is indicated diagrammatically at 53, Figs. 3 and 4, to, which, in operation, oscillating movement is imparted from the position indicated in full linesin which it will engage the top blank of the pack B-to the position shown in dotted linesin which the separated blank is raised and advanced between the feed or pull-out rolls 54 and 55, rotation being imparted to said rolls in a direction to withdraw feeder is applied.

\Per se, said blank separating means forms no part of the present invention and, as suction .devices suitable for the purpose and actuating means therefor and other details of the installation, are wellknown and can readily be supplied by skilled mechanics, they are not, therefore, either shown or described in detail. 7

To effect the object ofthe invention as it relates to rendering the power means for raising the pack carriage inactive when the top of the pack B attains a predetermined level-preferably the level at which the blankseparating means will operate most effectively, indicated approximately by the line b, Figs. 1 and 4-my improved feeder comprises means for gradually limiting turning movement of the lever d by the spring-40, as the level of the pack B approaches said predetermined level, thus correspondingly limiting retraction of the pawlcarrying frame 21, and thus of the pawl 19, the

relation being such that when said predeterminedlevel is attained, retraction of said pawl will be less than the pitch of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 16, thus causing said pawl to idle until the top of a pack again falls below the level of the line b, either by. lowering the pack carriage bodily by hand, or by feeding blanks from the top of the pack in the regular operation of the feeder.

In the preferable construction shown, the means for thus limiting pivotal movement of the lever d consists of a member 56, supported'above the pack carriage C in position to contact with the pack supporting surface thereof or with the top of a pack of blanks supported thereon, pref:

erably as closely adjacent as practicable to the point at which the suction foot 53 engages the topmost blank of the pack supported on'said pack carriage. As shown, said member 56 consists of a rod or bar which extends transversely across the machine above the pack carriage in the relation specified, said'member being supported at the ends of arms 57, one secured to the trunnion 11 and the other to a corresponding trunnion 41' similarly mounted at the opposite side of the machine, as best shown in Figs. 3 and 5.

As shown, the bar 56 and the supporting arms 5'2 are formed from an integral piece of wire of a size to provide adequate strength, the ends of which are bent substantially at right angles, said bent over ends being inserted through holes formed in the inner ends of the trunnions 41, 41' and secured therein by set screws 58, the relation being such that said member 56 will-contact with the top of the pack B in desired proximity to the suction feet 53 at the point at which they engage the topmost blank of the pack.

The normal position' of the control bar or member 56 is considerably below the predetermined level indicated by the line b, at which the pawl 19 will become inactive, said member being maintained yieldingly in such normal position by the tension of the spring 40, and its position of extreme depression being defined by contact of the roller 49 on the bell-crank lever c with the cam 50.

With the described construction, it is obvious that raising movement of the pack carriage after the pack supporting surface thereof or the top of a pack of blanks supported thereon, contacts with the member 56, will operate to raise said member, which, in turn, through its supporting arms 57, will operate to turn the trunnions 41,

41", and thus the levers 44, dand e pivotally against the force of the spring 40, thereby limiting retraction of the pawl-carrying frame 21, the

described movement of said member 56 and of the parts actuated thereby-either directly or ,indirectlycontinuev until retraction of the pawlcarrying frame 21. is less than the pitch of the teeth of the ratchet wheel 16, which, as heretofore explained, will render the actuating pawl 19 inactive and will prevent further raising movement of the pack ,carriageby the power raising means.

bell-crank lever e pivotally in a direction to raise said member56 from contact with the top of the pack B, thus eliminating all resistance to withdrawal of blanks from said pack due to the pressure of said member 56 produced by, the

Preferably, said cam will betimed spring 40. so that said member 56 will be entirely above and clear of the blanks as they are raised by the I initial raising action of the suction feet 53 in' the feeding operation. This isparticularly impor tant in the case of blanks oflsuch stiffness that,

if held down by the pressure of said member, there would be danger of breaking the suction which holds them in engagement with said suction feet 53, which, at each occurrence, would result in failure to feed a blank.

Raising of the member 56 as blanks are withdrawn,, is also important for the reason that thereby all frictional resistance to withdrawal of blanks, due to the pressure of said member, is eliminated, thus further insuring against fail ure to feed.

An important advantage arising from the intermittent pressure imposed on the pack of blanks,

B by oscillation of the member 56, as described is that'it produces a flow of air admitted between the uppermost blanks of the pack, away from said member as it is depressed, which will tend to break adhesions between sa d blanks and w'll further insure against failure to feed and pawl-carrying frame, an oscillating member for 'advanc'ng said pawl-carrying frame, and means actuated solely by raising movement of the pack carriage for rendering said pack carriage raising means inactive when the top of the pack .at tains a predetermined level, comprising a ver tically movablecontrol member supported above the pack carrage in position to contact with the uppermost blank of a pack of blanks supported thereon, means for maintaining said pawl-ca rying frame yieldingly retracted and said control member yieldingly depressed, and means connecting said control member and pawl-carryi ing frame, the relation being such that raising movement of said control member will limit retraction of said pawl-carrying frame.

2. In a blank separating machine of the type adapted for withdrawing blanks from the top of a pack, the combination of a vertically movable pack carriage, means for raising said pack carriage comprising a ratchet gear including a pivoted pawl-carrying frame, and an oscillating member for advancing said pawl-carrying frame, and means for rendering the pack carriage raising means inactive when the top of the pack attains a predetermined level, comprising a vertically movable control member supported above the pack carriage in position to contact with the uppermost blank of a pack of blanks supported thereon, means for maintaining said pawl-carrying frame yieldingly retracted and said control member yieldingly depressed, and means connecting said control member. and pawl-carrying frame, comprising a rotatable member. an arm secured thereto to which said control member is secured, a lever arm secured to said rotatable member, a pivoted lever, connection between one arm of said lever and the pawl-carrying frame, and flexible connection between the opposite end of said pivoted lever and the lever arm secured to said rotatable member, the relation being such that vertical movement of sa d control member will limit retraction of said pawl-carrying frame.

3. A blank separating machine as specified in claim 2, which comprises a rotatable member and supporting arm for the control member at each side of the machine.

4. A blank separating machine as specified in claim 2, which comprises means for varying the operative length of the connection between the pawl-carrying frame and its retracting lever.

5. A blank separating machine as specified in claim 2, in which the connection between the pawl-carrying frame and its retracting lever comprises a rod pivoted to said pawl-carrying frame, a stud pivoted to said retracting lever provided with a hole through which said rod extends, and nuts threaded to said rod at opposite sides of said stud and between which said stud is clamped.

6. A blank separating machine as specified in' claim 2, which also comprises means for raising the control member above the top of the pack during withdrawal of blanks therefrom.

'7. A blank separating machine as specified in claim 2, which also comprises means for raising the control member above the top of the pack during the withdrawal of blanks therefrom, comprising a pivoted bell-crank lever, means for imparting oscillating movement thereto comprising a cam on the oscillating member for advancing the pawl-carrying frame arranged to engage one arm of said bell-crank lever, a link which connects the other arm of said bell-crank lever with the lever arm connected to the rotatable member for supporting the raising control member and which also is applied to the lever for retracting the pawl-carrying frame, and a spring applied to said bell-crank lever to turn it counter to its turning movement by said cam, the relation being such that when the raising control member is in position to render the pack carriage raising means inactive, the arm of the bell-crank lever co-operating with said actuating cam will be spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to contemplated raising movement of said control member in operation.

8. A blank separating machine as specified in claim 2, which aTso comprises means for raising the control member above the top of the pack during the withdrawal of blanks therefrom, comprising a plvoted bell-crank lever, means for imparting oscillating movement thereto comprising a cam on the oscillating member for advancing the pawl-carrying frame arranged to engage one arm of said bell-crank lever, a link which connects the other arm of said bell-crank lever with the lever arm connected to the rotatable member for supporting the raising control member and which also is applied to the lever for retracting the pawl-carrying frame, and a spring applied to said bell-crank lever to turn it counter to its turning movement by said cam, the relation be ing such that when the raising control member is in position to render the pack carriage raising means inactive, the arm of the bell-crank'lever co-operating with said actuating cam will be spaced therefrom a distance corresponding to contemplated raising movement of said control member in operation, said spring also providing the motive force for maintaining the pawl-carrying frame 'yieldingly retracted and the raising control member yieldingly depressed.

WILLIAM WARD DAVIDSON. 

